Quick-detachable dust cap



Dec. 10, 1929. A. E. BRoNsoN 1,739,287

QUICK DETACHABLE DUST CAP Filed May e, Y1925 I! lllllllm Patented Dec. 10, 1929 PATENr OFFICE ADELBERT E. BRONSON,

OFVCLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DILL MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OFl CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO QUICK-DETACHABYLE DUST CAP i Application :filed May 6, 1925.` i Serial No. 28,334.

The present invention relates to a dust cap which' is primarily intended for use with pneumatic valve stems for air inflated articles, such as tires, inner tubes and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a quick detachable dust cap in which the usual form of valve cap serves as a means for attaching the dust cap to the valve stem and inv which construction a binding effect is produced so as to hold the dust cap and .valve cap in any adjusted relation with respect to each other.

A further object is to provide a dust cap with attaching means to cooperate with the usual valve cap, so that the dust cap and the attaching means may be manufactured and sold as a distinct article, which'may be taken by a purchaser and attached to a valve cap, which he already possesses, thereby creating a combined closure for the valve stem and quick detachable dust cap.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which- Fig; l is an elevation of a dust cap with portion's'in section and shows ing a valve cap 'mounted within the dust'cap; Fig. 2 is a section upon the line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the device; Fig. 4 is an end elevation with portions in section of the showing in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is another top plan view of another portion of the devicegFig. Gis an elevationof the showing in Fig. 5,`and Fig. 7 is a sectional ele` vation of the device shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Referring to the drawings, l indicates a dust cap or shell, which is hollow vand closed at one end by a dome-shaped closure 2 and open at the opposite end. The shell may be formed in any desired manner, and is preferably supplied with a plurality of flat sides, such as indicated at 3.

'Within the shell 1 is an expanding member 4, the outer surface of this expanding member beingadapted to t within the shell 1, and where the shell is provided with a' plurality of dat sides, as before described, the outer surface of the member 4 will be provided with a similar number of flat sides in complementto the shell. Y v

VThe member 4 is split as indicated at 5, and when inserted in the shell l, will be compressed so that after insertion the member 4, in expanding, will be in close frictional contact with the inner surface of the shell l.

The inner surface of the member 4 is elliptical in form having an undercut groove, as indicated at 6 in Figs. 1 and 4, and this is adapted to receive a. member 7, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 This member 7 is provided with a substantially annular extension 7a elliptical in form, which is adapted to lit in the undercut groove 6 so that when the members 4 and 7 are assembled they will be held together by the engagement of the extension 7 a in the groove 6. The member 7 is split, as indicated at 7b so that it may be slightly compressed The member 7 is inserted within the member 4, and both members are put under slight compression when they are in-' serted in the shell l. After insertion and the compressing means or force, is relieved, then the members 7 and 7 a will expand so that there will be a close frictional contact between the member 7 and the member 4, and likewise a close frictional contact between the outer surface of the member 4 and the inner surface of the member 1.

l It will also be apparent that relative movement between the members 4 and 7 will, due to the elliptical surfaces, cause the expansion of the member 4 into what may be termed locked relation with the shell 1.

The member 7 is provided with an inside groove 8 which is roughened or provided with serrations and in this groove 8 there is inserted a valve cap 9 which may be of usual construction. Such a valve cap has an upwardly extending portion l0 having a slot ll thereby forming the usual screw driver provisions, and is also provided with an extending annular portion on the body thereof, as indicatedat 12, which has its outer surface lrnurled or provided with vertical Serrat-ions.

lVhen the valve cap 9 is inserted within the member 7 the knurled portion l2 of the valve cap occupies the groove 8. Due to the engagement of the roughened surfaces of the groove 8 and the portion l2 of the valve cap there Kwill be no relative turning between the member 7 and the valve cap 9.

The valve cap within the lower` portion thereof which is indicated at 13 in the drawing, is provided with interior threads and a packing member, asis usual in such valve caps, and will need no description here..

In using the device, the shell 1 is passed over the end of a valve stem until thev end of the valve stem engages with the threaded portion of the valve-capl91 lVhenthis takesplac'e the dust cap 1 is rotated, and by virtue of such rotation and the character of the members 4 and 7 which cooperate with thervalve cap 9, the valve cap 9 will also be caused to rotate and so be threaded upon the. end of the valve stem.

VJhe-n thevalve cap 9 has beenturned on the valve stem. as far as it will go, the valve cap 9 will then bel stationary,l and continued. rotation ofthe dust cap or shell 1 will cause relative rotation between the member 4 and the member 71, and this in: turn will cause an' expansion of the member 4 so that the mem-A ber 4 is expandedy intol even' closer and tighter engagement with` the shell 1, thereby locking the stennvalve cap' 9, and dust cap- 1.,- so that they are held aga-inst relative movement.

In introducing a dust cap constructed as above described,.upon the end of a valve stem, the dust cap structure,.with the valve cap on the'y inside thereof, willbe turned onto the valve stem they distance of a few threads, and when the" dust capv is pushed inwardly the lower end ofthe dust cap contacts with the rim nut which is usually employedto secure the valve stem in place upon` the rim of a. wheel, or inthe event that such rim nut is omitted, the shellmay be pushed directlyy against the felly of the wheel. Thereupon dust capis given. further rotation to obtain the locking or fastening action of the dust cap, valve cap and stem which has before been discussed.

The lower or open end. of. the dust cap is unobstructed so that it is possibleto remove the members 4, 7 and then inclined valve: cap 9, out of the end? ofthey dust cap. This may be done whenever it is desired to utilize the valve: cap 9 as a tool for the purpose of in'-l serting thel valve insides in the' valve stem. Undersuch circumstances, all that is necessary isto partially thread theI valvek stemf into theY valve cap 9, and then' pull the dust cap andthe valve stem apart so that thevalvecap with the members 7 and. 4 will be pulled. out of the end of the dust cap, whereupon the valvecap 9may beremoved from the endl of the-.valve stem: and used as atool' inthe manF ner before described.Y The parts may then be re-assembledby compressing the members 7 4, so as to insert them in the dust cap 9. rThe. above construction provides a quickdetachable dust cap comb-ined withy a valve cap which may be manufactured at low cost, at the same time provides a construction in which the valve cap not only closes the end of the valve stem, but forms in connection with parts with which it co-operates, the means by which the dust cap is frictionally attached to the valve stem. Thisy construction` also obviates the necessity for threading a dust cap through the entire length of a valve stem, projecting beyondj the fellyY of the wheel, as is necessary at present with usual forms of dust caps.

Furthermore, the construction of dust cap and internal yfriction members, may be manufactured and sold together, without a valve cap being. assembled. therewith. This will enable a purchaser tol use a valve cap which he may have on hand, and. whichis furnished. as standard equipment with valve stems for tires.

The above will enable. a purchaser to secure a quick detachable dust cap. at low cost;

Having described my invention, I claim.:

l. A dust cap construction. comprising a shell open at one end, a valve cap within said shell, expandible meansv cooperatively asso-v ciated with the valve cap and interior wall' of the shell, said. eXpansible means and'. said valve cap havingcooperating. surface contours whereby relative rotation of the eX- pandible means andthe valve cap causes expansion. of said means to frictionally lock the same to the shell.

I2.. A dust cap construction comprising a shell open" at one end, a valve cap within said shell, a member engaging the valve cap, the outer surface of saidl member being elliptical, an expansible member engagingI the inner wall of the shell, said expansibl'e member havingv an elliptical inner surface cooperatingl with the outer surface of the first mentioned'. member, whereby relative movement of the members causesfrictional engagement of tliieexpansibl'e member with the wall of the shel' 3. A dust cap construction comprising a shellJ open at one end, a valve cap within said shell, anexpansible member engaging the inner. wall' ofthe shell, a second member interp'osedvI between the expansi'bl'e member and the valve' cap and fixed with respect to the latter, said members having cooperating surface contours-whereby relative rotation of the members: causes frictional engagement of the eXp'ans'ible. member within the wall of1 the shell'.

4. A dust cap construction comprising a shell open at one end, a valve'capwithin said shell, saidA valve cap being providedv with a surface which isf roughened, av member' embracing the vaflve=c'ap` and having its interior surface' roughened and cooperating with. the roughened surf-ace of the valve cap, an eX- pansible member relatively rotatable with respect to the rst mentioned member, said members having cooperating surface contours such that when sald members are relatlvely rotated the expansble member will be eX- panded into frctional locking engagement 5 With the shell.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto 'ax my slgnature.

ADELBERT E. BRONSON. 

